HRM EXPERIENCE Assessing the Strategic Fit of High-Performance Work Systems High-performance work systems (HPwss) are potentially powerful tools. However, ensuring that all of the HR practices support one another--and the principles underlying the HPws-is not always easy. At times, certain HR practices might support the HPws while others actually may work against the system's principles. This can result in failure. It takes only one misaligned practice to crash the whole system. Recall that the HPws principles include the following: Egalitarianism and engagement Knowledge development Shared information Performance-reward linkage Assignment The following figure lists the main HR practices used at Egan clothiers, Ltd. Working in teams of four to six, assess the extent to which you believe each HR practice supports (or works against) each of the HPws principles. 1. For each cell in the matrix, insert a number indicating the extent to which you believe the HR practice supports the principle or is counterproductive. The scale runs from -5 (strongly counterproductive) to 5 (very supportive). Zero indicates neither support nor detriment. 2. When you are done filling in each cell, add the numbers across each row to determine how supportive each HR practice is of all of the principles. Which HR practice is most supportive of the HPws principles? which HR practice is of most concern? Add each column to see how the overall set of HR practices supports each principle. Which principle is most 3. strongly supported? principle is the biggest concern? 4. Add the rows and/or columns to see how well the HPws is supported overall. What changes would you recommend to improve the system? Note: This figure corresponds to the integrative case on Egan Clothiers, Ltd., in the back text. The exercise can be used in conjunction with the case, or you may simply refer to the case as background reading. EGAN CLOTHIERS, LTD. H PWS PRINCIPLES edge Performance Fralitarianism Information Development Reward Linkage